Piano-accordion bellows-locking device



Oct. 26, 1926. 1,604,928

v. MENEGHETTI PIANO ACCORDION BELLOWS LOCKING DEVICE Filed July 7, 1925of 2; if j@ Patented Oct. Z6, 1926.

UNITED. STATES VCIORIENEGHETTI, OF LOS ANGELES, CALFORl\IIAIANO-ACCOBDION BELLWS-LOCKNG DVCE.

Application 4led July 7, 1925.

My invention relates generally to piano accordions and more particularlyto a device for lockingl the parts of a piano accordion, including thebellowsj in closed position so the instrument will be firmly retained inits closed position while not being played, or when packed for storageor transportation.

It will be understood that a piano accordion while being played, issupported on the front of the players body by means of a strap thatpasses over the shoulder and across the back, and at the conclusion ofthe rendition of a selection upon the instrument, is is especiallydesirable, particularly by professional players to easily and quicklylock the upper and lowei1 parts of the accordion to each other with theinterposed bellows in closed or collapsed condition.

Thus it is the principal objects of my invention to arrange simple andefficient means on the interior of the accordion for locking; the upperand lower parts of the body thereof to each other and to provide simplemeans on the exterior of the instrument for actuating said locking meansand which actuating means is positioned and arranged so as to be easilyand quickly manipulated whenever desired. p

TVith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement ot parts thatwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated 'inthe accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view ofthe upper portion of the body Vand the key board of a piano accordionthat is equippedwitn the bellows locking means contemplated by myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Fie'. 2.

F et is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4 4; of Fig.2.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. a l

Fi p'. 6 is perspective view of my improved locking device detached fromthe accordion.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate apractical i embodiment of my invention, and 11 designate respectivelythe upper and lower parts of the body of a piano accordion, betweenwhich parts is arranged the usual bellows 12, and projecting` upwardlyand rearwardly Vor lower reeds.

Serial No. 41,957.

from the upper portion of the upper ment ber 10 is the usual key board13.

-rfi-franed for sliding` movement on the upper edge of the key board 13is the usual angle plate that is shifted from one posi` tion to anotherfor the control of the octave To this sliding` plate is connected myimproved lock'actuating means as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed. The upper part 10 of the accordion body contains the usualmetal plate 15 that serves Vas a support for the rails or blocks 16 thatcarry the melody valves and reeds, and in carrying out my invention, ljarrange for sliding movement on the underside of one of these rails,r aplate or strap 17. Both ends of this strap'terminate in depending` hooks18 that project in the saine direction and.` when the accordion isclosed with the bellows folded or contracted and said plate is shiftedto its limit of movement in one direction, these hooks engage beneathhooks ori bent ends 19 that project horizontally fromv the upper ends ofpins or posts 20. The lower ends of these posts are rigidly fixed insuitable supports in the upper portion of lower body Vmember 11. i

Thus, when the hooks 18 are engage-d beneath hooks 19, the two parts ofthe body of the instrument are securely connected with the interposedbellows in collapsed condition, and when the plate l? is shifted so aslto disengage said `hooks 18 from the hooks 19,l the movable lowerportion of the instrument and the bellows may be manipulated inthe usualmanner.

The means for actuating` sliding member 17 includes a short lever 21,fulcrumed at 22, to one of the'rails 16 and the forward end of saidlever, having` a pin and slot 23 with strap 17.

The rear end of lever 21 is provided with a slot 2li that receives thedepending end 25 of a short rod 26 and the latter being mounted forlongitudinal sliding movement in bearings 27 that are secured to aconvenient part of the upper body l0.

The end of rod 26 opposite the end that has the depending portion ispivotally connected to the lower end of a lever 28 and the latter beingfulcrumed on a pin or screw 29 that is seated in the rear wall of upperbody member 10.

Immediately above its fulcrum point, lever 28 is bent so as to projectthrough an aperture 30 in the lower portion of the rear wall of the keyboard 13 and said lever eXtends upwardly alongside the rear 'face of therear wall of said key board and the upper end of said lever is pivotallyconnected to the intermediate portion of sliding plate lll. y

When it is desired to lock the accordion in closed position with thebellows 'folded or collapsed, it is only necessary to shit't slidingmember 17 in proper direction to swing lever 2S on its l'ulcrum so as toslide rod 26 through its bearings and by engagement of depending end 25in slot 211, lever 21 is swung on its 'fulcrum 22. As a result of thisactuation of lever 21, strap 17 will be moved lengthwise, therebyengaging the hooks beneath hooks 19, thereby securely locking theinstrument in closed position.

Obviously, a reverse movement ol sliding member 17 will bring about areverse movement of the locking means, and as the hooks 18 aredisengaged from the hooks 19, the

accordion may be opened and played in the usual manner.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided simple and easily operatedmeans for locking a piano accordion in closed position and all of whichlocking means, with the exception of a small part of one ott' thelevers, is located on the interior of the instrument Where it is whollyconcealed from view.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts .of .my improvedy pianoA accordion maybe made and substituted 'for those herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is setforth in the -appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A piano accordion bellows locking device comprising a pair of hooksprojecting from the end portions of the body of the accordion upwardlythrough the bellows, a strap mounted for sliding movement on theunderside of the housing for the melody Vvalves of the accordion, theends of which strap are bent into depending hooks that are presented inthe same direction, which hooks are adapted to engage the ends of thefirstmentioned hooks when the accordion bellows are closed, a leverpivotally mounted within the housing for the melody valves, one end ofwhich lever has pivotal connection with the sliding strap, a leverpivotally mounted on the housing for the melody valves and eX- tendingupwardly behind the key-board of the accordion, a connection between thelower end oi' said last-mentioned lever and the end of thelirst-mentioned lever opposite the end that is pivotally connected tothe sliding strap and the upper end of the second-mentioned lever beingpivotally connected to the switch that is mounted on the top of thekey-board and which controls the octave reeds of the accordion.

2. The combination with a piano accordion provided with the usual basekeys housing, v bellows, melody valves housing, key board and slidingswitch for controlling the lower reeds, a lever pivotally mounted on themelody valves housing, a portion of which lever lies beneath thekey-board, the upper end of said lever having pivotal connection withthe central portion of the octave reed control switch, a pair ofinverted L-shaped hooks projecting upwardly from the end portions ofvthe base keys housing through the bellows, a strap. arranged forsliding movement on the underside of the melody valves housing, the endsof which strap are bent into hooks that are adapted to engage the upperends of the inverted L-shaped hooks when the .accordion bellows iscollapsed and connections between the lower end of the lever and thecentral portion of said sliding strap for actuating the latter when theoctave reed control switch In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

